New Student Advising for the Bachelor of Arts
Welcome to the Bachelor of Arts at MRU!
Step 1: Read your advising guide
Review New student information and locate the first-year advising guide of your new program for registration information and recommended first-year courses for you degree
Step 2: Plan your courses
Plan your course selection for fall semester: Identify courses you would like to take based on the pattern recommended for your major in the advising guide. For full-time status in a semester, the minimum number of credit-level courses required is three (3) to a maximum of five (5). As an Arts student, much of your course choice is up to you to decide, so explore possibilities and create a list of courses that you will search for when you reach Step 4.
- Your first priority courses for registration are the specific ones listed for your major in the first-year course recommendations. For example, if you are in History you choose one to two HIST 1000-level courses for each of fall and winter semesters. Use the course descriptions in the Academic Calendar to explore your choices.
- Next, select courses approved to satisfy General Education requirements of the degree. To assist with this selection, use the General Education list of approved courses available here. You can also explore possible courses by searching the Academic Calendar course descriptions.(Many of these tools are available in the Before you Register box in your Register & Pay tab of MyMRU.)
- Electives are any 3-credit course that is not restricted to you and you satisfy the prerequisites to take. Course selection for General Education and electives is completely up to you. Typically, you are choosing 1000-level courses only (junior or first-year courses). An exception to this is that you can take Business-related courses at the 2000-level in first year (ACCT, ENTR, FNCE, HRES, INBU, LSCM, MGMT, MKTG, SINV).
- You may also find a program planning worksheet for your major helpful in understanding your new program (if in a major). Fall 2023 major program planning sheets will be avaiable in April.
Step 3: Register your courses
Build your fall and winter schedule. Use the registration tutorials availalbe online.
Visit our Tutorials page for useful videos to guide you on using mymru, our degree audit system (mruGradU8), course descriptions and how to register for your courses.
You can also use the My Schedule Builder (MSB) in your MyMRU Register & Pay tab to help visualize and plan your schedule.
You will want to register as soon as you can to get the best course selection. Using your list of identified courses from Step 2, begin your registration:
- Go to your MyMRU Register & Pay tab and find the link for the Registration Landing Page. You can use Look up classes in to browse courses to make a plan or you can use Add/Drop/Withdraw Classes to plan and register.
- Search Fall 2023 CREDIT for fall registration and WINTER 2024 CREDIT for winter registration for offered courses to register and build your fall and winter schedule of classes. Check out the Registration & Records website for further support and online tutorials.
- Be aware of days and times of courses because you are building your own schedule and you want to make sure you schedule time between classes for lunch and activities you want to do on campus.
- You can also use the My Schedule Builder tool to help visualize and build your class schedule. Once you have a schedule you like, you copy the provided 5-digit CRN numbers for each course from the shopping cart and use the Register:Add/Drop/Withdraw Courses in your MyMRU Register & Pay tab to register the courses (each 5-digit number CRN is like a bar code for one course). Don't forget to plan breaks for lunch, studying, working out, and just hanging out on campus. To help you understand what you see in the registration system, you can find registration assistance information on the Student Records & Registration website.
- For feedback on your registration, track you selections in your mruGradU8 program audit tool located in your MyMRU My Program tab. Look for the blue icon with the grad hat! Click to open and click on Process New to refresh the information.
- Check your My Course Schedule in your MyMRU Register & Pay page to make sure you like your timetable and to check details about your classes (times, days, location).
Step 4: More help is available
If you need additional help with the registration process use some of the helpful links below to assist you with getting registered in your fall classes.
- Reread the program advising guide (above) for registration information and recommended first-year courses for your major and General Education requirements.
- Use the General Education list of approved courses and the course descriptions in the Academic Calendar to assist with course selection.
- Use the New Student Registration webpage for additional information and online registration tutorials.
- Attend an online drop-in advising session through Google Meet. These sessions will be for students who have reviewed the materials and have questions. Please come prepared! Sessions will begin in mid April.
- Visit the Registration website for answers to common registration related questions such as error messages and wait listing for courses. You can also contact the Registration Help Line by phone at 403.440.3303 or toll free at 1.877.676.0686 or by email at creditregistration@mtroyal.ca.
- Our student Registration Peers are available until June 15 to help you add your identified courses to your fall and winter schedule. You MUST have prepared your list of courses before arranging an appointment with them. You can book here.
Still have questions?
Visit the New Student FAQ page to see if your question is answered there.
There are FAQs about the Bachelor of Arts.
Contact Arts Academic Advising:
Rachel Doe
Arts Academic Advisor
EA3157
403.440.8585
artsadvising@mtroyal.ca
mtroyal.ca/artsadvising
Welcome to the Bachelor of Arts at MRU!
You can find additional information for New Students here.
Step 1: Understand your degree
You are fulfilling three degree components: depending on your Bachelor of Arts major, you will need between 16-20 courses for the major, 10 General Education courses, and between 5 to 14 electives, for a total of 40 courses or 120 credits.
Please access your mruGradU8 program audit to help understand how transfer credit is being applied to your new Mount Royal Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree program.
- Go to MyMRU > My Program tab > click the icon for mruGradU8 (blue icon of grad cap). Click on Process New to refresh the information.
- Review the Bachelor of Arts program information in the Academic Calendar.
Step 2: Plan your courses
Depending on your situation, you may find it useful to use the Bachelor of Arts First-year advising guide to assist with registration. If you are intent on completing the major you have been admitted to, and still need some first-year courses, review this resource. If you do not want to pursue your admitted program and have another program at MRU in mind, please contact the Arts academic advisor to discuss your situation at artsadvising@mtroyal.ca or 403.440.8585.
Use the mruGradU8 program audit tool for course planning. If you were completing courses in Winter 2022 semester or Spring 2022 semester, these will not appear in the record until after the end of June when your final transcipt is processed. If you have recently been attending a post secondary outside Alberta, you will need to make arrangements to have your final transcript sent from your institution. Deadline for transcripts is August 1.
You may need support to determine your registration. Please contact the Arts academic advisor at 403.440.8585 or email artsadvising@mtroyal.ca.
Understanding the General Education pattern structure for the BA:
You must complete 10 courses across three Tier levels with courses chosen from four thematic cluster areas.
Foundation (level one)
As you start your studies, you take a total of four General Education foundation courses. Choose one from each cluster.
Cluster 1: Numeracy and Scientific Literacy
Take one of: GNED 1101, GNED 1102, or GNED 1103 within your first 10 courses.
Cluster 2: Values, Beliefs and Identity
Take one of: GNED 1201, GNED 1202 or GNED 1203 within your first 20 courses.
Cluster 3: Community and Society
Take one of: GNED 1301, GNED 1303 or GNED 1304 within your first 20 courses.
Cluster 4: Communication
Take one of: GNED 1401, GNED 1403 or GNED 1404 within your first 10 courses.
Tier 2 (level two)
As you progress through your degree, choose three General Education courses from a wider variety of courses
You will take:
- one Tier 2 course from Cluster 1
- two Tier 2 courses from two of the following: Clusters 2, 3, or 4.
Tier 3 (level three)
You must take three Tier 3 courses. These three courses must be from at least two different clusters.
You could take:
- three Tier 3 courses each from a different cluster (Total 3); or
- two Tier 3 courses from one cluster, plus one more from different clusters (Total: 3).
For additional help with General Education course selection, you can use the General Education list of approved courses.
Electives
Electives are any 3-credit course of interest that is not restricted to you and for which you satisfy prerequisites (if applicable). You can explore possible courses by searching the Academic Calendar course descriptions. Many resources are available in the Before you Register box in your Register & Pay tab of myMRU. Please make note of course prerequisites before registering. You must be able to satisfy listed prerequisitet. Course selection for General Education clusters and tier levels, and your open electives is completely up to you.
Step 3: Register your courses
Build your fall and winter schedule. Use the registration tutorials availalbe online.
Visit our Tutorials page for useful videos to guide you on using mymru, our degree audit system (mruGradU8), course descriptions and how to register for your courses.
You can also use the My Schedule Builder (MSB) in your MyMRU Register & Pay tab to help visualize and plan your schedule.
You will want to register as soon as you can to get the best course selection. Using your list of identified courses from Step 2, begin your registration:
- Go to your MyMRU Register & Pay tab and find the link for the Registration Landing Page. You can use Look up classes in to browse courses to make a plan or you can use Add/Drop/Withdraw Classes to plan and register.
- Search Fall 2023 CREDIT for fall registration and WINTER 2024 CREDIT for winter registration for offered courses to register and build your fall and winter schedule of classes. Check out the Registration & Records website for further support and online tutorials.
- Be aware of days and times of courses because you are building your own schedule and you want to make sure you schedule time between classes for lunch and activities you want to do on campus.
- You can also use the My Schedule Builder tool to help visualize and build your class schedule. Once you have a schedule you like, you copy the provided 5-digit CRN numbers for each course from the shopping cart and use the Register:Add/Drop/Withdraw Courses in your MyMRU Register & Pay tab to register the courses (each 5-digit number CRN is like a bar code for one course). Don't forget to plan breaks for lunch, studying, working out, and just hanging out on campus. To help you understand what you see in the registration system, you can find registration assistance information on the Student Records & Registration website.
- For feedback on your registration, track you selections in your mruGradU8 program audit tool located in your MyMRU My Program tab. Look for the blue icon with the grad hat! Click to open and click on Process New to refresh the information.
- Check your My Course Schedule in your MyMRU Register & Pay page to make sure you like your timetable and to check details about your classes (times, days, location).
Step 4: Check your transfer credit
If some of your transfer credit does not appear to be very specific (e.g. UNSP 1XXX or SLGY 2XXX) and you think you have completed equivalent content to specific course requirements you see in the audit, you will want to submit course outlines from your previous institutions to help determine more specific transfer credit. You can find information online about the process.
If you think your previous coursework provides the depth and breadth comparable to MRU’s GNED and would like to have a conversation about this, please email the GNED Advisor (from your @mtroyal.ca email account) at gnedadvising@mtroyal.ca.
Note: International applicants are only assessed for eight equivalencies as part of the admission process. If you think you have more courses that could be used in your degree (e.g. additional electives), you need to contact transfercredit@mtroyal.ca to ask them to evaluate additional courses.
If you feel you need more assistance to understand how your transfer credit is being applied to your new Mount Royal BA program and to assist with determining courses for fall registration, you can call 403.440.8585 to discuss your situation or to book a one-on-one appointment :
Rachel Doe
Arts Academic Advisor
EA3157
403.440.8585
artsadvising@mtroyal.ca
mtroyal.ca/artsadvising
Tried to register and still confused? Have questions about your course selection? Please join a virtual drop-in session. These will be offered April - June. New dates are added weekly. Please use your new MRU email account to sign into the session.
These sessions will start at the time listed, so please be on time (session will close after 15 minutes if no one joins).
You are responsible for registering your own courses.
To get the most out of this opportunity, it helps if you have made attempts at preparing registration using the New Student advising information before joining.
- Activate and start using your @mtroyal.ca email address. If you need some help doing so, instructions are available online.
- Sign up for New Student Orientation. Information on NSO is available online, and will be updated throughout the summer with more details. Watch your MRU email account for details.
- Apply for student loan funding, if needed. Applications are generally available in early June, and you can check out the Financing Your Education website for more information.
- Buy your textbooks. Many books aren't available until mid to late-August, so keep an eye on the Cougars Campus Store website, where you can access your personalized booklist.
- Explore your mymru.ca and Blackboard accounts. Don't be alarmed if your courses aren't loaded into Blackboard until right before the beginning of the semester, but it's a good idea to help familiarize yourself with the two programs prior to the beginning of your first year.
- Enter all of the important and critical dates and deadlines for each semester into your Google Calendar. Include your lectures, labs and tutorials, as well as the deadlines for adding/dropping courses, tuition payments, reading week, the withdrawal deadline, and the final exam period.
These planning guides are based on the most recent calendar curriculum and are intended as a GUIDE only. You will find your current program audit in mruGradU8, which is accessible through your MyMRU.ca account in the My Program tab. You can also find your curriculum information in the 2022-2023 Academic Calendar under Academic Faculties & Programs section.
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